The Fallen Knight's Tale
by Discordia the Goddess of Irony
Summary: Second Chapter up: Squall makes a decision. Still rated for language and still focusing on Seifer.
1. Chapter 1

A/N All right, here it is the central story in my FF8 trilogy. Again, I stress that I don't own the rights to Final Fantasy, Square, etc. Unlike the other two parts of this story arc, this one is told in the third person, not first. As for what relationships will be formed, I'll leave that for the reader to discover later on in the story. Keep in mind that Discordia and the Goddess of Irony are ever watchful, waiting for the opportunity to lend their assistance to the writing process. My thanks go to Sagan Fox for beta reading this and brainstorming with me, as well as to my friend Alex for helping me to work out the themes of my later chapters. Please read and review.

  
  
  
  


Leona glanced about, taking in her surroundings. She had an easy stance, all of her weight resting on one foot and her hip thrown out to one side. She ran a hand through her hair.

  


"So," she murmured, "this is Balamb Garden. Funny, I expected more."

  


She hoisted a duffel bag to her shoulder and slowly approached the elevator. She pressed the button and waited for the doors to slide shut. Before they could do so, two more individuals rushed into the elevator, both of them giggling hysterically.

  


"I win!" proclaimed the energetic young woman in the small yellow dress. 

  


"Now that's not fair. You tripped me," retorted the tall, lanky young man with an apparent cowboy fetish.

  


Without warning, the girl seized her companion's hat and placed it triumphantly on her own head. She flashed a grin.

  


"Mine."

  


"Sephie, give that back."

  


"No Irvy."

  


_So_, Leona thought, _these two helped defeat the sorceress. These two must be Selphie Tilmitt and Irvine Kinneas._

  


Irvine and Selphie continued their playful quarrel until the elevator reached the second floor, and another passenger entered. Both of them fell silent and backed away from the newcomer. The scar on his face identified him immediately: Seifer Almasy. He settled against the wall of the elevator and waited for the doors to close.

  


"Did you get called up to see the Headmaster _again_?" Irvine queried smugly. "I think you spend more time there than you do in class. You're lucky you're even here, Almasy."

  


Seifer, for the most part, ignored him, allowing himself only a resentful look. The elevator reached the third floor, and the four passengers got out. Selphie and Irvine went straight into the Headmaster's office and closed the door, leaving the other two to wait in the lobby area. 

  


"Smug bastard," Seifer muttered under his breath.

  


Leona, who had found a comfortable spot against the wall, smiled. "He struck me as that sort," she mused.

  


Seifer glanced at her, staring her straight in the eye.

  


"So, you're a SeeD? Not from this Garden I take it."

  


Leona shook her head before answering, leaning her head back against the wall.

  


"No, I work for Galbadia Garden, though I'm currently in the employ of the Esthar government."

  


"What are you doing here?"

  


"Esthar wants to build a Garden of its own. Since Balamb has more power than either of the other two Gardens, they sent me here."

  


"So, you're here to ask for their blessing on the project?"

  


Leona shrugged. "I'd think of it more as a request for financial backing."

  


Seifer laughed softly, shaking his head. When he looked up, he discovered a rather bemused expression on her face. He was about to speak when the Headmaster's door opened.

  


"Seifer, you can come in now."

  


"Well," he sighed, "time to face the firing squad."

  


Leona chuckled at his comment. "Good luck in there."

  


Seifer caught one last glimpse of Leona grinning before he went to face the Headmaster. As he entered, Seifer noticed Quistis standing to one side of the room and Zell standing on the other side, both looking ill at ease. And there, of course, was Rinoa standing next to Squall, one arm resting on the back of his chair.

  


"You seem to have the entire pride. What's the occasion?" Seifer inquired of him.

  


Squall's eyes looked flinty and cold as he responded. 

  


"Take a seat." He gestured to the chair in front of his desk.

  


Seifer hesitated, glancing at the other four people hovering behind him. They reminded him of vultures. He turned to look at Squall.

  


"No thanks, I'd prefer to die on my feet."

  


"Seifer, please," Quistis gently whispered, "just do what he says."

  


Seifer turned and looked at her. _She doesn't want to fight. Neither do Zell and Selphie. Squall and Irvine want blood, and Rinoa . . . _He gazed at Rinoa's carefully masked face, unable to discern anything from it. _So, still acting the role convenient for the moment, are we?_

  


Squall rose from his chair, glaring at Seifer with smoldering anger.

"You are aware that only one more field test will be held before you turn 21, aren't you?"

Squall moved around the side of the desk and approached Seifer. "You still intend to become a SeeD, right?"

  


"Indeed," Seifer responded tersely. He locked eyes with Squall. "Is that all? I've no intention of cringing at your feet."

  


Squall bristled angrily, and Quistis and Zell stepped forward, preparing to break up a fight.

  


"With an attitude like that, it's a wonder I don't expel you now. I have the right to do so."

  


"Squall . . ." Quistis warned.

  


"Be quiet Quistis!" he snapped.

  


Seifer laughed to himself, and Squall turned on him.

  


"What's so damn funny!?"

  


"I just thought of an old saying. 'Absolute power corrupts absolutely.' Think about it." He turned to leave, enraging Squall, who grabbed his arm and spun him around.

  


"Listen to me, you pathetic failure, you're only here because of Cid."

  


Seifer broke free from Squall's grip, easily tossing his arm aside and turning once again. Squall moved to stop him, but Quistis intervened.

  


"I don't care if you _are_ Headmaster, Squall, and I don't care how _you_ feel about all of this Seifer. The two of you act like children, and I'm sick of playing mediator." She flashed an angry look at both of them.

Seifer used the opportunity to storm out of the office. He passed Leona with barely a sideways glance, slamming doors behind him as he went. Leona watched quietly, waiting a moment before she knocked on the door of the office.

  


Quistis opened the door, greeting Leona without enthusiasm. She did, however, glance at her in recognition. Leona moved past her and took a seat in front of the desk. She felt slightly uncomfortable but wasted no time.

  


"Headmaster Leonhart, I'm here on behalf of the Esthar government . . ."

  


"Why is Esthar sending a mercenary as a representative?"

  


Leona glanced at him indignantly. "I was hired as a bodyguard for the president of Esthar. That country has decided that it wants a Garden of its own and felt that a member of SeeD would be the best candidate for negotiation. President Loire chose to deal with Balamb Garden, since Trabia's still rebuilding itself and Galbadia is unstable."

  


Squall considered her for a moment. "Well, you certainly get right to the point, don't you? So, you're asking for approval?"

  


"Yes, along with any additional funding that Balamb Garden is willing or able to provide."

  


Squall thought for a brief moment before answering. "Give me one week, and I'll give you a decision."

  


Leona smiled, rising from her chair and extending her hand. "It's a deal," she said, shaking hands with him. "One more question: where do I stay?"

  


"Why don't you stay in the dorms?" Zell suggested.

  


Leona agreed and moved to leave. She got to the door before Squall thought to ask for her name.

  


"Wait, out of curiosity, what's your name?"

  


Leona turned back, smirking. "Leona R. Hardt."

  


Quistis looked surprised suddenly as she recognized the name and face. "Lea, is that you?"

  


Selphie asked, "You two know each other?"

  


"We went to Galbadia together for a while," Quistis explained, "and graduated SeeD at the same time."

  


"Do you have an instructor's license?" Squall questioned her.

  
  


Leona nodded. "I got my license from Galbadia the same year as Quistis."

  


"By a fluke that year, Leona graduated the same time I did. The field test that year was in the fall, between my birthday and hers. She's actually a year younger than I am."

  


"Quistis, why don't you show Leona to the dorms?"

  


Quistis nodded in agreement. Leona smiled graciously and followed as Quistis led her out of the office. She waited until the elevator doors closed before speaking.

  


"So, is it normal for the Headmaster to have five other people in his office when he's yelling at a student?"

  


Quistis blushed furiously, lowering her eyes. "No, just with that one. Those two have been fighting since they were children. I'm sure you know about Seifer, though. He made some mistakes and is still paying for them."

  


The elevator reached the first floor, and Quistis showed Leona the Garden's features as she led her to the dorms. Leona took a short nap in the single dormitory before changing out of her uniform.

  


"Well, let's see what they have in the Training Center," she mused aloud.

  


Leona found the Training Center and began stretching, laying aside her weapon. She didn't hear anyone approaching and was startled by the sound of a voice behind her.

  


"There aren't too many gunblade users. You're only the third that I know of."

  


Leona stood to her full height and turned around. Seifer had knelt down to examine her gunblade. 

  


"It's an awfully heavy weapon for such a young woman."

  


Leona arched her eyebrows and pursed her lips. "I can handle it perfectly well, and I'll give you a demonstration if you want."

  


"I didn't mean to offend you . . ." Seifer began.

  


"Yes you did." She lifted a hand to quell his objection. "Just listen for a minute. You seem like the naturally competitive type, with a considerable amount of pride."

  


"You seem to know a great deal about me without even knowing my name."

  


Leona grinned and continued to stretch. "I know _your_ name. You don't know mine."

  
  


"And how is that?"

  


"Everyone who pays attention to current events knows _your_ name, Seifer Almasy. Mine, for your information, is Leona Hardt."

  


"Well, it's nice to finally know your name."

  


Leona grinned and lifted the gunblade so that the point rested on Seifer's collarbone. 

  


"So, do you want to see how well I fight, or was that just talk?"

  


In a single fluid movement, Seifer drew his gunblade and knocked Leona's aside.

  


"If you insist," he said, bowing slightly. "Defend yourself!"

  


With no further words, Seifer attacked, focusing his efforts on testing his opponent. He made no assumptions about Leona's skill and attacked is if she were merely learning, Leona corrected his mistake almost immediately, launching into a counterattack that only a true student of the gunblade could execute. With their presuppositions gone, the two sunk into a graceful rhythm of attacks and parries.

  


"Your form is excellent," Seifer complimented as he blocked Leona's attack. He countered, forcing her back a step.

  


Leona narrowed her eyes, smiling wryly. "Thanks, you're not bad yourself."

  


For a moment, they circled one another, trying to find a weak point to attack. Leona became increasingly aggressive, swinging with far more force than she should have used. Seifer responded in kind, taking riskier swings that could have caused serious injury if she should fail to parry.

  


It was in the middle of one of these attacks that Seifer's concentration was broken.

  


"Seifer Almasy!"

  


He turned his head slightly, realizing that Squall had entered the Training Center. In a split second of distraction, Seifer felt the gunblade make contact. Squall didn't even give him the opportunity to see what he'd hit.

  


"What the hell are you doing!?" Squall demanded. "Didn't you learn your lesson two years ago!? This is a perfect example of why I ought to expel you right now!"

  


Leona interrupted before Squall could continue. "It's my fault. I challenged him, and I let things get out of hand."

  
  


Both men turned and simultaneously noticed the blood running down Leona's left cheek. The gash ran from the corner of her jaw to a point just below her eye.

  


"Dammit!" Squall went to help Leona, concerned that she might lose consciousness. Leona, however, hadn't quite realized that she was injured. Raising her hand to her cheek, she discovered blood. Her reaction surprised both men simply by its pacifism. She sighed.

  


"Which way is the Infirmary?"

  


Seifer and Squall both came to her assistance, the latter berating the former the entire time. Squall continued to shout even as Dr. Kadowaki cleaned the wound. Leona finally snapped as the doctor sutured her cheek.

  


"Enough! Yelling at him won't change anything. Besides, I don't care, so why should you?"

  


Squall was too shocked to respond and turned to Seifer. "We'll discuss this later." He gestured dismissively and gave his attention to the doctor. After a few moments, Seifer left as quietly as possible. 

  


"Will she be all right?"

  


"I'm right here," Leona objected, "and I'm fine."

  


"Just one more stitch. It's a superficial wound, but it'll leave a scar." Dr. Kadowaki stood up, removing her gloves. Leona smiled gratefully without even flinching.

  


"Thank you."

  


She began to leave, and Dr. Kadowaki stopped Squall before he could follow her. As Leona passed into the main body of the Garden, she found Seifer waiting by the passageway, a look of guilt on his face. Leona approached, and he turned to leave. She caught his wrist with one hand.

  


"Hey." Seifer looked at her, his eyes falling on her bandaged cheek. "It's nothing, just a scratch. Look, I'm sorry."

  


Seifer looked at her, blank with shock. "_You're_ sorry? But I . . ."

  


"Like I said before, it was my fault. I started the fight, and I failed to block a clumsy stroke." She looked into Seifer's eyes pleadingly. "No hard feelings?"

  


Seifer shook his head. "I should be the one to apologize."

  


"Well then, we're both sorry." Leona smiled gently, slipping her hand into his. "Walk me to my room?"

  


Seifer took a moment to respond, finally nodding as he looked at her.

  


"If you insist."

  


Leona grinned, ignoring the stares of the students they passed. 

  


"Thanks."

  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

A/N Well, I'm finally updating. I'm sorry for taking so long, but I do have other things to do with my life. ;-) I don't own the rights to anything Squaresoft owns the rights to, which I would think was self evident. The queen of obscure allusions strikes again! As I've done in other fics, I use obscure references to other works. Cookies go to anyone who catches it. Thank you to all the people that reviewed the first chapter. Thanks also to Sagan Fox and ibhonest666 for all their help with this. Enough from me, please read and review.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Leona sat quietly in the Quad, glancing up occasionally to see the details she was adding to her drawing. She had been there for several minutes when a shadow fell across her work. She didn't even look up before she spoke, since she already knew who it was.

  


"You're in my light Almasy. You want to move?"

  


"That's not a very polite way of greeting someone, especially a member of the Disciplinary Committee." 

  


Leona glanced up at him with raised eyebrows and a smirk. She raised her pencil to point it at him emphatically.

  


"Don't make me get off this bench. You won't be happy if I do."

  


Seifer, looking rather unimpressed, grabbed the pencil out of Leona's hand and held it just out of her reach. He considered her with a smug expression.

  


"What are you going to do? Let me cut your other cheek?"

  


Leona made a half-hearted swipe at his wrist. "Give that back," she demanded of him. "I can take you, you know." As if to emphasize her point, she stood up and tried to grab the pencil again. Seifer easily dodged her swipeand grabbed her wrist with his free hand. Leona made a lackluster attempt to extricate herself from his grasp and tried to seize the pencil with her other hand. Seifer caught that wrist in the same hand as her other arm.

"Well, what are you going to do now?" he inquired of her.

  


Leona struggled to escape, pulling away only to have Seifer tug her back. Unfortunately for Seifer, he made the mistake of pulling her toward him as she lifted one knee, intending to brace herself against the bench behind her. Seifer let go of her then, staggering over to the bench and sitting down. He looked up at her. 

  


"Maybe one of these days the two of us can have a conversation without maiming or injuring each other," he remarked dryly. "I could report you to the Headmaster for this."

"Go ahead, but he'll probably just laugh at you and say that you deserved it." Leona crossed her arms over her chest, regarding him as seriously as possible. "Besides, this one is _your_ fault, not mine." 

  


Seifer laughed mirthlessly and shook his head. He turned his gaze back up to Leona, sighing before he spoke. 

  


"You're probably right. It would seem, however, that the two of us are incapable of just talking. Do you have a problem with violent behavior?"

  


"Yours or mine?" she queried, throwing a fake punch at his shoulder and punching him lightly in the stomach. 

  


"See? I'm trying to have a conversation, and what do you do? You punch me."

  


Leona sighed melodramatically but ignored his comment. She pointed to the pencil in his hand. "You going to give that back?"

  


"Don't change the subject. I'll give this back when and if I feel like it and not a minute sooner." He grinned at her as she attempted to grab the pencil. "Temper, temper. You're a violent little hellcat, aren't you?"

  


Leona feigned shock and slapped his cheek. Seifer played along, acting hurt despite the fact that she had barely hit him. 

  


"You're terribly abusive for such a young woman."

  


"Oh, you poor thing, did I hurt you? Do you want me to kiss it and make it better?" Leona bent down and pressed her lips quickly and lightly to his cheek. She stood back up and considered him. "Is that better?"

  


"That's not all you hurt," Seifer remarked to her, grinning slyly.

  


Leona widened her eyes in feigned innocence. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about Seifer. Maybe I should ask Rinoa about that." Leona turned to leave, and Seifer choked in surprise, standing quickly and grabbing Leona's wrist.

"That's really not necessary."

  


"Are you sure? I'd be interested to hear what she had to say about that."

  


"My relationship with Rinoa was _not_ like _that_," he stressed. "We barely had a relationship, and that was not a part of what we had."

  
  


"Then why the secrecy?"

  


"Squall would kill me if anyone even hinted at something like that. He's very protective and not prone to believing me." He sighed and dropped back onto the bench, gazing up at Leona. "Look, Rinoa and I didn't have a perfect relationship, and we were never seriously involved. Squall, however, doubts this claim."

  


Leona nodded in understanding. "I was just kidding. I didn't mean any harm."

  


"I know. But just the same, I'd prefer it if Squall didn't have one more motive to hunt me down and expel me." Seifer glanced at the notebook beside him, picking it up and examining the picture. 

  


"Go ahead and look at my notebook," Leona muttered sarcastically. "I don't mind at all."

  


"Is this all you draw? Pictures of the Garden?"

  


"No, but I keep all my illustrations from the girls' locker room in a different notebook."

  


Seifer looked up at her, arching one eyebrow. "Can I borrow that one some time?"

  


"Honestly, Seifer, are you that lonely?" 

  


"Well, you're quite the little gutter-mind, aren't you?"

  


"You think I'm gutter-minded? I'll have you know that I fell into the sewer long ago."

  


Seifer grinned and shook his head. "You're incorrigible."

  


Leona took the seat next to him, facing him with a lopsided smile. "Really? You're encouraging me?" She laughed at the exasperated look he gave her and winked. "What, don't you like puns?"

  


Seifer gave her a mocking expression and sighed. "Honestly, why I hang around such fools is beyond me."He shot her a smile as she punched him in the arm. Still grinning, he turned back to the notebook. He flipped through the pages, examining drawings from Galbadia, Trabia, and Balamb Gardens. "These are really good," he complimented her. "What are they for?"

  


Leona glanced over his shoulder and shrugged. "If Esthar gets a Garden, I'm in charge of designing it. Those are comparison sketches." Leona reached over and turned several pages, revealing sketches of a different Garden. "These are the conceptual drawings I have so far. With any luck, Squall will approve Esthar Garden and help out with the funding."

Seifer considered the illustrations. "Well, it certainly looks like a good investment. With the exception of a few architectural flourishes, everything looks like it can be constructed with minimal effort, especially by Esthar. It has a very nice central design and appears to make the most of its space. The only thing you seem to have forgotten is the gargoyle."

  


"What? A gargoyle?"

  


"Every Garden has a gargoyle." Seifer began searching through Leona's sketches, pointing out the gargoyles as he went. "See? Trabia has one in the courtyard, and Balamb has two over the front gates. Galbadia has the same. It's a unifying feature."

  


"I guess I'll have to add that. Thanks for pointing it out to me."

  


Seifer looked at her, and noticed that she'd already removed the bandage from her cheek. "You should have left that alone," he remarked, pointing to her cheek. "It hasn't completely healed yet."

  


"It's but a scratch, but it will serve," she retorted with a twinkle in her eyes.

  


As Seifer was about to respond, he noticed Quistis approaching them. She was scowling slightly and looked less than pleased to see Leona sitting next to Seifer. With a slight nod of his head, he directed Leona's attention toward their company.

  


"Seifer, Lea, Squall would like to have a word with each of you."

  


Seifer grinned winsomely, glancing at Leona. "But one word with one of us? Very well, make it a word and a blow."

  


Leona chuckled softly as he rose to his feet and handed her the notebook and pencil. She allowed him to take several steps toward the exit before responding to his comment. "Seifer, if I ask for you tomorrow will I find a grave man?"

  


"Knowing Squall, you just might," he remarked with a wink.

  


Quistis waited by Leona, her eyebrows raised. Once Seifer was gone, she turned to Leona. "What was that all about?"

  


"Oh, it's nothing. What does Squall want?"

  


Quistis shrugged. "I'm not certain, but since it's been close to a week, he probably wants to talk with you about Esthar. Then again, perhaps he wants to speak with you about the amount of time you've been spending with Seifer. There hasn't been a day this week that you haven't spoken with him. Are you sure that's wise?"

  


Leona rolled her eyes and sighed. She gathered her belongings and faced Quistis. "Please, spare me the lecture Quistis. It's not your concern whether I speak with Seifer or not. He's harmless, and I enjoy talking with him. That's all."

  


Quistis raised her eyebrows incredulously but didn't force Leona to continue on the topic. With a shrug, she escorted Leona to the elevator. They remained silent both in the elevator and the waiting room, Leona continuing her sketches while Quistis paced up and down the floor. After five minutes, the door opened and Seifer left, looking less than pleased. Leona waited a few moments before entering the office, allowing Squall to compose himself if such was the case. She glanced around the room, pleased to note that she was the only other person in the room. She sat down in one of the chairs, waiting for Squall to begin. 

  


"I've considered your request," he began, "and have decided that Balamb could use an ally like Esthar. We will help Esthar fund the construction and provide several instructors once the Garden has students enrolled."

  


"Thank you very much. On behalf of the Esthar government, I'd like to offer my appreciation. Hopefully Esthar and Balamb will be able to help one another."

  


"On that subject, do you have a Headmaster yet?"

  


"No, we were waiting to see if the project got off the ground. There isn't anyone in Esthar with the proper qualifications, though. Shiva only knows who'll end up in charge of Esthar Garden." 

  


Squall nodded and mused for several seconds. "What about you? You've obviously got connections with Esthar. In fact, why don't you suggest it to President Loire?"

  


"I suppose I could, although I really don't have any experience."

  


"Well, how about this: you stay here while they build Esthar Garden. You could learn what little I have to teach and speak with Cid whenever he visits, sort of like an internship."

  


"I could do that. All I really need to do is contact President Loire." Leona stood up and shook Squall's hand. "I'll have an answer for you by the end of the day."

  


Leona walked out of the office, ignoring Quistis and heading straight for her room. She sat down at the small table and pulled a laptop out of her bag. After several minutes of adjustments, she finally got the signal to work. Another ten minutes passed before a familiar face appeared on the screen.

  


"Kiros, get President Loire."

  


"What, no hello?" Kiros smiled warmly as he gestured to someone off screen. "Here you go."

  


Laguna's face appeared on the screen. He looked slightly tired but in good spirits. The corners of his lips rose up, forming a slight smile when he saw Leona. He waited patiently for her to report the results of her mission.

  


"We got it. Balamb is willing to help with the funds and provide several instructors. Additionally, Headmaster Leonhart suggested that I remain here in Balamb to learn the duties and politics involved in being a Headmaster. Is that acceptable?"

  


"Of course. Do whatever's necessary to get the job done. Just make sure you get those sketches to us."

  


Leona nodded. "I'll do that as soon as I finish the last one. I have until the end of the day to give my decision. I'll tell Squall later. I'll speak with you again, sir."

  


Laguna smiled warmly. "Enjoy yourself. Balamb is a great place."

  


"Are you sure it's all right for me to stay here?"

  


Laguna chuckled to himself. "You're not my only guard you know."

  


"Very well then, I'll speak with you later. Goodbye."

  


"Goodbye, Lea."

  


Leona ended the transmission and placed the computer in its case. With a sigh, she flopped down onto the sofa and fell asleep for several hours. When she awoke, she informed Squall of President Loire's decision. After a quick meal in the cafeteria, Leona headed to the Training Center. She did her routine of exercises and stretches, realizing about halfway through that someone was watching her. She turned to find Seifer standing behind her. He had removed his trenchcoat, opting to instead wear only his vest. She grinned, remembering the last time they had been in the Training Center.

  


"So, are you staying for a few more days?"

  


"I'll be here for a few more months. Until they finish Esthar Garden, I'm here learning how to be a Headmaster. I get to be Squall's shadow."

  


Seifer laughed, shaking his head in amusement. "I'm sorry."

  


"So am I." 

  


They regarded one another for a moment, both of them grinning. "Well," Leona commented, "I guess I'm stuck talking to you for a couple of months."

  


"Damn, I was hoping to get rid of you." He sighed, rolling his eyes melodramatically. "Does this mean I can see those drawings of the girls' locker room?"

"Smart ass," she muttered, still grinning.

  


"Forever and always. Now, I believe we still haven't settled the issue of who the better fighter is."

  


Leona raised an eyebrow and smiled more broadly. "If you insist," she commented smugly. They circled for several seconds before attacking, each trying not to injure the other. They were both careful to keep their attacks clean and smooth, avoiding the mistakes of their previous encounter.

  


_This may not be so bad after all. At_ _least the next few months will be interesting._

  
  
  



End file.
